Overview & Reviews

Owned by General Motors, Cadillac is America's most prestigious domestic luxury automaker. For most of its existence, the company was known exclusively for its cushy, senior-friendly sedans, but in more recent years the automaker has revised and expanded its lineup in a successful effort to attract a new, younger generation. Cadillac's roster now includes SUVs (its Escalade is a favorite of both rappers and suburban moms), a crossover and even a high-performance wagon.

Born in 1902, Cadillac was founded by Henry Martyn Leland, a manufacturer of automotive components. He named the company after a noted French explorer who discovered Detroit in the early 1700s. Leland helped create one of the company's earliest offerings -- the Cadillac Osceola, noted for being the industry's first concept car and the first closed-body car made in America. Only one Osceola was made, but it helped spark a trend; closed bodies caught on and spread like wildfire through the industry.

Cadillac quickly gained a reputation for specializing in precise craftsmanship and for using standardized parts. The success of early Cadillacs like the Model A and the "30" made the brand a sales success, so much so that the automaker was purchased by General Motors in 1909. The marque became GM's luxury division, and its list of innovations grew. Cadillac was the first U.S. auto manufacturer to produce a V8, the first to use thermostatic control of a cooling system and the first to offer dash-controlled headlights. During the 1930s, the brand earned a strong reputation for producing powerful and smooth V12 and V16 engines.

Soon after World War II, Cadillac history hit a high point as its tailfinned and chrome-laden cars became the epitome of American postwar automotive style. Cadillac's tailfin took its cue from Lockheed's P38 Lightning Aircraft, and was the brainchild of designer Frank Hershey. Vehicles like the Coupe de Ville and Fleetwood El Dorado made Cadillac a staple in upscale neighborhoods and among the Hollywood set.

By the 1960s, Cadillac's flashy tailfins had given way to a new styling cue: vertical taillights. This attribute was in evidence on one of Cadillac's most successful new cars of that decade, the Fleetwood Sixty Special. The Fleetwood offered luxury features that were cutting-edge for its day, such as fold-down writing tables, footrests and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.

The gas crunch of the 1970s, however, started a downward trend for the company. Cadillac's Titanic-sized behemoths that ruled the highways in previous decades were increasingly out of touch and out of favor. Cadillac responded to the changing times by downscaling the dimensions of many vehicles in its lineup. Despite this smart maneuvering, the automaker's fortunes suffered in the late '70s when it unveiled a diesel engine that quickly earned a reputation for spotty performance.

The 1980s saw the redesign of the Seville, a vehicle whose unique bustle-back styling sparked a trend and inspired its share of imitators. That decade also witnessed the rollout of the Cimarron, a small car that was essentially a rebadged Chevy Cavalier, the latter an economy car not exactly known for excellence. Understandably, the Cimarron never caught on with the public. Things got worse when Cadillac launched a series of underpowered, unreliable V8s during the first half of that decade that, along with the notoriously unreliable diesel, cost the automaker thousands of customers, millions of dollars and immeasurable damage to its reputation.

By the early '90s, Cadillac started a major turnaround as it brought out redesigned, stylish models with vastly improved engines. Shortly after the new millennium bowed, the company adopted its "Art & Science" design philosophy. With styling cues that included sharp, almost severe lines and stacked headlamps, Art & Science was first seen on Cadillac's 1999 Evoq concept roadster. By the mid-2000s, this bold new look had reinvigorated the company's sales, and was seen on hits such as the Escalade SUV and the CTS sport sedan.

This fresh styling, coupled with improvements in performance and overall product quality, has done a great deal to help Cadillac recover much of its previous status. Today's Cadillacs, which include coupes, sedans, crossovers and SUVs, are known for offering powerful engines, chiseled lines, sharp handling and a full accoutrement of luxury features.

User Reviews:

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  A Piece of Junk - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By michella - November 24 - 2:45 am

  Ive had my Cadillac Catera for four years and it has been in the shop over 35 times for repairs. This car has been nothing but a pain in the rear and a waste of my money. Cadillac should be ashamed of themselves for allowing the consumers to continue to purchase this vehicle.

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  A $75,000 Lemon - 2006 Cadillac XLR
  By PJSpina - November 22 - 1:58 pm

  After three repairs for a non-operative roof (the sensors went bad three times) my 2006 Cadillac XLR has an engine knock. It was diagnosed by the dealer as "inappropriate spark detonation" the problem has still not been solved even after three more visits to the dealer and a "site visit" by Cadillacs engineer. The car has been out of service for nearly a month since I purchase it, with no end in sight. I also own a new Cadillac STS, and there is no comparison between the cars. It is a shame that Cadillac cannot seem to get it right. Next time, itll be a Mercedes-Benz SL500.

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  2005 STS - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By mstewart - November 21 - 4:10 pm

  I have had nothing but trouble with my 2006 Cadillac STS V8 since I took delivery of it. First, the delivery was delayed at the dealership because the entire radio had to be replaced. After the first 1,000 miles, a loud noise like crunching tin cans developed in the front-end. The dealership has attempted to fix it several times without success. I have been waiting on another part for over a week which they hope will remedy the problem. Meanwhile a coil in the engine went out causing it to operate on less than all 8 cylinders. I have communicated with Cadillac customer relations but have gotten absolutly no relief. Buyers beware.

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  Wouldnt Buy Again - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By Kimberly Gasaway - November 14 - 3:11 am

  There is limited rear visibility due to the head rests in the back. of my 2004 Cadillac SRX. This has always been a problem. The panarama roof is rattling like crazy. The rear light popped off when the car was brand new. They said this was due to the heat of the sun. Also, back hatch bent. When this happened and the car had to be in the shop for some time. The paint was never the same. There has been two more recalls since then. Lastly, the finish on the stereo is peeling. I am having too much trouble with my SRX for a brand new luxury car.

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  There are better choices out there - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By buster90 - November 12 - 11:14 pm

  I am very disappointed with my 2006 Cadillac CTS. With a $36,000 sticker price you expect a nice car. It ha no heated seats, no rear seat ducts, no homelink, no power passenger seat, no memory seat, and no compass. This was a joke considering all of the competitors have these options at this price. If you want them...expect to pay around $40,000. The engine noise expecially dugint hard acceleration is loud, I expect this in a $15,000 Pontiac G6, not a $36,000 Cadillac CTS. The build quality cant compare to Infiniti, Lexus, or Acura. There are better cars for the money.

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  Fun, but not up to the Quality of Lexus - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By tom fuller - November 12 - 11:04 am

  My wife and I each have a 2006 Cadillac STS V6 because I feel strongly that I prefer to buy an American car. Unfortunately, my car has been into the shop four times to have trim pieces put back on, and there is a distracting amount of wind noise which cannot be resolved and apparently is just the way the car is. My wifes previous car, a Lexus, was whisper quiet, so were not used to this. If GM wants owners of BMW and Lexus to go to Cadillac, they will have to do some major work on the entire way they build cars and treat their customers. I also own a BMW Z4, and having had this plus the Lexus, going down to a Cadillac has been a shock. So Im not saying I wont get another one, but the jurys still out.

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  Dead Batteries and Dies Out When Driving - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Scott - October 23 - 12:01 am

  I have been having problems with my 2004 Cadillac CTS since 7/2005 with the car dying out while driving on three occasions and I have had to have the battery changed twice. My car has been in the dealership for roughly one month while they are trying to figure out what is going on. They are not having much luck. They are only working on the dead battery problem. They gave up on finding out why the car dies out while driving. After my experience with the service level of the dealership and the Cadillac corporate people I would never buy another Cadillc. Buyer beware.

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  Very Very Very Upset - 1998 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Very Disapointed - October 20 - 6:17 pm

  When I first got my 1998 Cadillac Eldorado, I loved it no doubt about it. It is very classy and very comfy and the price was right. It gives a very nice ride. However after my first two years with it everything that could go wrong did. I completly replaced the cooling system in the engine I mean everything from the water pump to the radiator every hose and even the bucket the holds the coolent. It was just this great big money pit. Finally the head gasket went that was a mini fourturne to replace. The Northstar engine is the biggest joke 10 mechanics said the same thing. Im also very upset with the way Cadilac treated me they were so rude and fought me on every problem.

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  Front End Problems - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By jclarkeusa - September 17 - 5:55 pm

  My 2005 Cadillac STS is a nice car but the front end rattles excessively at speeds of 35 MPH or under. To date, Cadillac has been unable to fix the problem. So far, they have replaced a control arm but that still has not fixed the problem. If I had it to do over again I would have purchased the Infinit M35 or BMW 530i. This will be the last time I buy an American luxury car!

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  A Class Action Suit Waiting to Happen - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By Bill - September 13 - 5:56 pm

  If any one trys to sell you a Certified Used Cadillac with a Northstar engine - run! Since I have owned my DeVille I have found out that the engine uses oil to the extent of a quart every 1,700 miles and is viewed by GM as NORMAL according to their service bulletins. Therefore, no attempt to correct problem. In addition, I have had two coolant leaks, an engine mount replaced, an electronic control module replaced, both wheel hubs and front bearings replaced, a trunk seal replaced, and the list goes on. Now I undertstand why I got a bumper to bumper extended warranty to 100,000 miles as a certified used car. Unfortunately, it still isnt enough.